The client/server model of distributed computing operates to fulfill user needs by splitting functions between “client” tasks and “server” tasks performed by various computer hardware and software resources that are organized into a “network” for communication with each other, such as a local area network (“LAN”) or a wide area network (“WAN”) or the Internet. Using this model, a “client” program sends message requests to a “server” program in order to obtain data and/or processing action according to some communication “protocol” (i.e., a set of standard rules that determine how information is transmitted across a network) and the server completes the processing transaction by carrying out the request (or deferring it to another time or by indicating that it cannot be fulfilled). This model allows clients and servers to be located (and to operate) independently of each other in a computer network, often using different hardware and operating systems appropriate to the function of each. A “proxy server (or gateway)” is often used in handling client requests for transactions to be completed by other network “application servers” which are capable of (either directly or managing the operation of other application programs in) performing the data processing actions required for the transaction but are not accessed directly by the client. When a proxy server receives a message from a user client requesting access to a particular application server in order to process such a transaction, the proxy server searches for the “call ID” (or address) identifying the network location of the requested application server and (if found) forwards the message to that server for action.
Many current application server models provide for a “single server” configuration that serves the dual purposes of managing (or “hosting”) user-installed computer software application programs as well as the administrative capabilities (in performing the configuration and “runtime” tasks) necessary to allow the server to operate the hardware/software (including network/internet) components of the computer system. In so doing, the server may possess the ability to change its operating configuration (as well as modify its own execution or “runtime” state) via use of programs such as Java Management extensions (JMX MBeans) while also hosting the program code needed for implementation of an “administrative console” application as well as to allow interpreted (such as those programmed using Java or any other suitable programming language) scripts to execute on the server. However, since the server can host only its own administration capabilities in such a model, any other server(s) configured for use with the system or network must also host its/their own administrative functions (as there is no current “safe” mechanism for such servers to administer the operation of each other).
It has been discovered (from experience) that the administrative tasks of the server have overtaken its primary purpose of hosting user applications, requiring a new system programming architecture allowing a separate (dedicated) “administrative agent server” to manage the operation of “base” application server(s) (in order to allow them to accomplish the task of hosting installed user applications). However, while the agent is a custom-programmed administrative server model (that allows the application server to fulfill this primary task) it has been considered to be an unnecessary proliferation of some (such as certain Java) executed processes, since a separate administrative agent is needed for each application server operating configuration (or “profile”) where multiple profiles can exist for use within a single system or network (each for use with one or more application servers).
The invention seeks to resolve this problem by providing a server management architecture previously missing from such systems, where the administrative code (i.e., the “profile”) needed to run an application server configuration can be viewed as a “silo” that can be individually executed irrespective of the processing state of other such similar “silos”. In so doing, a single administrative agent can now be used for managing multiple application server profiles (whereas previously one agent was required per profile). However, such a system design introduces “scalability” and “single point of failure” problems, such that if an agent (administering multiple application server profiles) ceases operation (for any reason) then all of its administrative functions (for the profiles managed) are lost until that agent is restored to operating status. In order to solve this problem on distributed client/server network platforms, the invention provides an “administrative proxy server” model to “load-balance” the management of application server configuration profile “silos” among administrative agent servers (as described below).